


A Lost Soul or Two

by ShadowArtemis4456



Series: Of Earth and Thedas [1]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Cullen on Earth, F/M, Mentions of Desceased Family, OC is unsure about life, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-20
Updated: 2018-10-09
Packaged: 2019-07-14 16:34:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16044299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowArtemis4456/pseuds/ShadowArtemis4456
Summary: “This was my great-great Grandmother’s house before I inherited it,” Adela told Cullen as he sat next to her on the deck which over looked the river below.Adela is a twenty-four year old woman with a passion for writing. Fanfictions, works of fictions (of which she had a total of two series and on lone story already published), even poems. She’s also a gamer and loves the Dragon Age series and knows the lore inside and out. So when a stranger who looks exactly like Cullen Rutherford shows up out of the blue on her doorstep, what else can she do but try to help him get back to Thedas while trying to help him understand how Modern Earth works.Cullen isn’t sure of this strange new world, but when he crosses paths with Adela, something tells him that there is a reason he came to this world. When she promises to help him return to Thedas, Cullen ends up struggling with himself as he’s discovered a reason to stay in this world.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Trying my hand at this so I apologize in advance if it ends up sucking

“Finished!” A sigh escaped the young woman as she finished putting away the last of the formerly boxed up items. Looking around the room, she smiled as her childhood memories came from whatever dusty corners she had put them in. “I still can’t believe that Grandma left this place and the items within to me,” she looked around the room (which was the kitchen with its all new appliances), before walking out into the living room where a couch, some older chairs, a television (there had been one of the much older ones but it had badly needed to be replaced as the screen had finally quit working after many many years) and some tall lamps stood in the way they had since she could remember. Looking towards the front door which stood open with the screen door being locked, the young woman felt as if she had truly and finally come home. Scratch that, she honestly WAS home as this place had been her great-great grandmother’s house before the elder had passed away a year ago and had, much to the young woman’s surprise, left this little house to her to “keep it in the family”. Smiling the young woman walked towards the door only to take a sharp right and enter the little room near the door which she had made into her little “office” and began to open the windows to let the cool and crisp autumn air into the room. Humming to herself, the young woman made for the kitchen once more but stopped to open the door to the open “sun” room and continued on her way over to the stove where she set her grandmother’s tea kettle on one of the heating units on the stovetop after filling it with water. She had only been here less then two weeks and already the place was back to how it used to be, well almost if you didn’t count the things that had needed to be replaced. Turning to her fridge, she pulled out some fresh peaches and carefully began to cut into them. One thing she had made sure to do the day after she arrived was to buy groceries so she wouldn’t have to order take-out, which she had nothing against, she just wanted to keep to her memories of how food had always been prepared in this house with take-out being a rarity. Glancing to the kettle in wonder why it hadn’t started it’s loud sharp whistle she mentally smacked herself for forgetting about turning the heating unit ON and sighed. But just as she prepared to walk over to turn it on, a knock sounded at the front door and she frowned. “Who could be here?” She wondered quietly to herself, “Coming!” She called out as she walked out of the kitchen into full view of the door to see someone who looked very familiar to her standing there and studying the pillars at the door. Walking towards the door, she spoke so as not to startle the man who turned and seemed to suddenly lose his breath at seeing her approach.

****

The man studied the young woman who sat across from him taking in what little of his story he could give her about how he had arrived at her house, which now that he thought about it felt like it a had some familial energy to it, as if she had inherited this place from a parent or grandparent. A full six hours had passed since he had suddenly arrived on her doorstep and yet not once had she mocked him or called him crazy like he had been expecting. No, she had been, if anything, polite and very much willing to listen to his story. He watched her eyes close as she processed this information and watched her sigh as she took another drink of her tea before speaking, “I would say that all of what you told me could be far-fetched and that you're downright insane, but it's not the first strangest thing to happen in my lifetime.” He wanted to question that but remained silent, “My best guess at this moment would be that what has happened to you would be something called “Displacement” though last I checked displacement usually happens with time distortion and not transferring people to other worlds.” 

“You sound like you know a lot about things like my situation,” he frowned as she sighed. 

“I’m...a bit into the occult, magic and all that, with several generations of the women in my family being Wiccans.” He gave her a confused look then and she frowned before getting up and retrieving something from one the bookshelves in the living room. Setting it down between them she had it facing him and he studied it for a moment. “Wiccans are witches of sorts.” 

“So you're a mage?” 

“Kind of...” he returned his gaze to her, “I know you come from Thedas and there you deal or had dealt with magic every day, but this world...our magic is a bit...different.” She tried as she sat back. 

“How so?” 

“Well for starters those who deal with our version of magic don’t have to worry about being possessed by demons unless they are really really trying to fuck with that kind of magic, which is technically a forbidden magic anyways,” the young woman sighed and shook her head. “We don’t have a thing like the Fade so our magic stems from the elements themselves and nature and karma if one isn’t careful with their intentions.” 

“So are are you a..?” 

“Not yet.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“A true Witch’s powers don't come to them unless they experience an “awakening” of sorts.” 

“A true Witch?” 

“One who is born of the blood of witches from before them. True Witches have the magic already in their bloodline and with each generation it grows stronger. Interestingly enough just because I was born to a witch, doesn’t necessarily mean that I am one.” The man processed this carefully, but then she spoke again, “it does, however, mean that I am better able to sense the presence of the souls of the deceased.” 

“You can sense spirits?” 

“Yes and no it's not fun,” she told him as he looked to the book before him. 

“Then why do you keep this?” 

“Beats me,” she shrugged, “could be because its something I grew up around and find it familiar or my tendency to look into the occult has me invested in reading these kinds of things. To guard the knowledge of the ancient past as my ancestors did before me. Hard to say as it could also stem from the fact that my father was this world’s version of a Templar.” That caught the man’s attention. 

“Templar?” 

“Oh yes, though many don’t know they still exist as their order has “died” down over the years. So sadly, I can’t help you with the knowledge there as they’re all about secrets,” He frowned then, but just as he went to ask something else, his stomach betrayed him (which caused him to blush) and she smiled. “Why don't we save this topic for another day?”

“I think that would be best...” he was thoroughly embarrassed now but still she was patient.

“Here, let’s get you set up with a shower and I will start on dinner after I make a bed up for you,” she smiled as she left to go to the linen closet and pulled out a towel and washcloth for him. She handed those over to him before looking him over for a moment. “I’m also going to guess that you don’t have any spare clothes on you?” When he shook his head sheepishly she smiled again. “If I am judging correctly, you and my older brother share around the same clothing size.” Humming to herself as she sized him up, she nodded and turned away to vanish upstairs for a moment and returned with clean clothing for him, which he took gingerly. “Don’t worry too much about it. My brother left them here as he never wore them.” She then guided the man to the bathroom, which was in the kitchen area and showed him how to work the knobs for the water and how to make the water go from the spout for the tub to the shower head as well as told him about the bar of soap that was used for body and the shampoo and condition that was for the hair. Once she was gone and had closed the door behind her the man frowned but was soon grateful as he undressed and took a shower. Once he was done and felt cleaner then he had all day, he swiftly dried off and dressed in the clothing she had given to him. As he dressed he heard her singing to herself and paused for a moment to listen before continuing to dress. He could smell whatever she was cooking through the bathroom door and it made his stomach growl again. Once he was done and dressed completely he opened the door and walked out to see that the young woman had just been finishing up with making dinner. “Feel better?” She questioned playfully as he smirked. 

“Yes, very much so. Thank you,” then he realized he hadn’t bothered to ask her for her name. 

“Adela Saedh, but you may call me Adela.” She told him as she walked over to the counter to reach up towards the now open cupboard and pulled out two plates as well as grabbed two forks. 

“A beautiful name,” he commented as he let it roll over and over in his mind. “Is there a reason to it?”

“I was named after my grandmother,” she felt a blush creep up on her face. “She was born in a country by the name of Scotland, and despite the whole first name issue, that’s where the Saedh family hails from.” 

“Scotland?” He questioned as he watched her set the plates and silverware on the small table. 

“The accent my family has would be more...” 

“Starkhaven,” he told her as she frowned. 

“Pardon?” 

“The accent you have, to me it sounds almost as if you come from Starkhaven in the Free Marches.” 

“Interesting...” she trailed off for a moment. “Forgive me, I’ve never really noticed much of an accent from me or my family.” 

“It's not very thick but its there,” he told her with a slight smile. “It’s almost...muted...in a way.” 

“Huh...” she thought that over for a few seconds before she began to move things over to the table. “Tea or water?” 

“Water will be fine,” He answered before realizing that it would be polite of him to give her his name. “And Adela?” 

“Yes?” She asked as she placed some ice into a glass. 

“If it suits you, you may call me Cullen,” he told her as she looked at him before returning to her task at hand. 

“If that is your wish,” she told him as she finished what she was doing and handed him the glass as he sat down at the table. As they sat and ate, Cullen noted that she didn’t eat very much and wondered why but figured there were private reasons for why. The spoke throughout dinner and eventually, she cleaned up as he went to sit out in the living room. Looking at her bookshelves, a particular series caught his eye and he went over to look at it. “Ah, found my first ever published fantasy series did you?” 

“You’re a writer?” 

“Yeah, though personally, I don’t see myself as a very good one. I am still trying to figure out why anyone _wants_ to read my stories, half the time I don’t even know what I am writing when I do, but the people enjoy them so I keep writing.” 

“Would it bother you if I read them?” 

“Not at all. My finished stories are the only ones you might get to as its rare that I offer sneak peeks into the next book,” she then nodded to the book in his head, “This particular trilogy is soon to expand into another one, but I won’t ruin it for you.” She smiled as she went and sat down in one of the chairs while he sat back down on the couch and began to read. He rarely if ever allowed himself to indulge in these types of works, but he would gladly read one if the author of the story was in great doubt of her ability. As he started into the story, he soon found himself lost in the way the story was woven and found himself connecting with the main characters despite his usual mindset about books. Soon enough he yawned and Adela smiled, “I’m sure you’re tired after the long day, I can show you to your room if you’d like.” With his nod, he placed a bookmark on the page he had been reading and set the book gingerly on the table next to the couch before following her up the stairs. “Here you go,” she said after they had entered for him to see a perfectly made bed waiting for him, after telling him that she would awaken early to make breakfast, she bid him goodnight and left to walk literally a few steps across the way before she closed the door to her room as he closed his. He gave himself a few moments to think as he removed the shirt he wore and frowned. Adela had been nothing if not a gracious hostess to him, yet something nagged at him that she would most likely end up being more then that before he found a way back to Thedas. Yet right now, there was a bed calling his name and he would be damned if he didn’t answer it.


	2. One

The next morning found Cullen waking slowly to what he could rightfully assume to be Adela making breakfast. After he stood and put on his shirt, he walked downstairs to see that his assumption was correct. "Good morning!" She greeted him as he saw her smile and of course he returned it; as he sat at the table, she told him what all she had to do today but not before turning to him and explaining what she had already done. "...Of course, this means that my parents and my brother will be coming over in a few hours."

"Will they be able to help with my situation?" He asked as she frowned. 

"My mother will, my brother and father will be coming over to fence in the yard as my parents insist on me having at least one animal in the house."

"A dog?"

"Yep and strangely enough they have already gotten me a dog but I'm not sure what breed it is yet."

"They haven't told you?"

"No, but if I had to guess I would say it to be a deerhound." 

"Deerhound?" At her nod, she finished the bite she had taken and described what the breed of dog looked like when fully grown. 

"They sound like a loyal breed."

"Oh they are and they're beautiful dogs too. They're very gentle and very, very, sweet as until their Master of Mistress is messed with or they're on the hunt. Personally, I've always wanted one, well ever since I was a little girl and grew up around the two that my grandmother had," Cullen could understand that, as it seemed to him that lot of what she knew stemmed from her grandmother and the bond they had shared. After they had eaten, Cullen went to his room to dress for when her parents and older brother would arrive, but soon enough found himself back in the living room and looking around for her only to enter into her "Office" and was met with a sight that surprised him. She was sitting on the floor which had something on it to protect the carpet underneath her, he saw that she had a paintbrush in her hand and was working on some flowers but as he studied the painting, no mural, closer he saw that it looked like a scene possibly from one of her books or something else. "You like it?" She asked not once looking in his direction.

"Its...interesting." he managed as she smiled while he noticed that it was not yet finished. 

"When it's finished I'm hoping it will be as beautiful as I imagined it to be..." Adela let her voice trail away as she smiled towards the unfinished painting. 

"What will you call it?" He inquired as he walked to stand next to her.

"Paradise."

Cullen looked at her then, "Paradise?"

"Yeah," She let her smile drop then, "A lot of the people in this world have this belief that only those who do good, pray and attend "church" can enter a place called Heaven while the others go straight to a place called Hell or exist in a limbo."

"You don't?" Cullen questioned as she shook her head. 

"No, I don't," She replied as he watched her. "I have this belief that everyone has a chance to go to Paradise. I even describe a place like what I am drawing in the series you picked up last night. To me, Paradise is like a rebirth of the world and the people and animals in it, a second chance at... everything. But I also believe that the only way for that Paradise to come...to open... is through possibly the greatest act of selflessness ever seen." Adela smiled softly then, "I also believe that two people can create it in their own form as well. Granted no true relationship can ever claim to be absolutely perfect, there's always going to be arguments and assumptions, but that's a normal part of all true relationships, especially when the two can argue and fight over some small thing but can step away for a little bit to calm down before addressing the issue again with clearer minds. In fact, that exactly how my parents stayed together for so long while other peoples parents separated." Suddenly they heard a noise and Adela sighed as she put the brush down in some water, "Speaking of... Perfect timing there Dad," Adela smiled as she went to stand, but the moment she did (After Cullen offered his hand to help her) a louder noise sounded and she sighed. "And my idiot brother," Cullen smirked at that. "Come on, let's introduce you to them so my mom can figure out what happened to you and if there is a way to send you back to Thedas."

****

After introductions were made, and Adela sat with her new puppy in her lap who was panting as she held the little male. Adela's Father and Brother went outside to start working on the fence, while her mother spoke with Cullen. Both, however, sat looking at where Adela was with the pup and couldn't help but smile at the fact that she was now calling the pup "Warrior"; She had been trying to figure out a name for the little male when Cullen had jokingly stated that she should call him Warrior and, much to the amusement of everyone _but_ Adela, the pup had responded to the word by looking towards Cullen and had squirmed to get over to the man as Adela watched with a face that spoke of her unamusement. "Hey, Sis!" Adela looked up as Cullen and Adela's mother looked over to see Adela's brother walking in with no shirt on. 

Her brother, whose name was Samuel, was pretty much what Cullen could have expected from the young man but seemed to also be different when compared to Adela. He was well toned from working out but unlike his sister who had fair skin with dark blonde hair and sapphire colored eyes, Samuel had a darker skin tone from being out in the sun with rich brown almost amberish eyes and ebony colored hair. "What do you need dumbass?" Adela wondered as Samuel made to speak. 

"Where is your weed whacker?"

"Take a guess."

"Well fine be that way," Cullen listened to this exchange between the two and couldn't help but smile. Nope, a person couldn't tell they were siblings _at all_ with the way the two snipped and nitpicked at each other. "Bitch." 

"Bastard."

"Whore." 

"Alright children of mine," Their mother swiftly interrupted before Adela could say anything, "Samuel stop instigating your sister. Adela, tell him where it is." As her children ashamedly told her "yes mother", the older woman looked to Cullen with a smile. "Don't let anyone ever tell you that raising a son and a daughter is easy. These two prove that it can be difficult at times." After a bit more talking, the woman frowned, "Let me see your hand for a moment." Frowning Cullen did as asked and the woman took his hand gingerly. "You were sent to this world for a reason," Her eyes flicked over to Adela who was playing with the puppy. 

"Adela?"

"She plays a big part of that reason, but not the whole reason." 

"Then why?"

"I can't say. You have to discover that on your own I'm afraid." The older woman smiled at him, "I will talk to my husband and see if he won't give you a chance to work on the ranch."

"I'm afraid I've never been one for farm work," Cullen told her with a frown but she still smiled.

"Oh you won't have to worry about that, Sam has that covered, no you'd be working with the horses and other things we would need help with," With that, they spoke more on what he would do there before turning it back to Adela. "I'm sure she wouldn't mind driving you back and forth anyway, she has a horse of her own that is stabled at the ranch and she's usually with him as she normally rides him around the ranch to help with the cattle. In fact, Adela?"

"Yes, mom?" Adela stood up and little Warrior followed her into the kitchen.

"Are you busy tomorrow?"

"No, why?  Do you need help with the cattle?"

"Yes," Her mother nodded, We need to separate the yearling bulls from the rest of the heard and your father is being stubborn about it."

"Want me to see if Chris, Kara, Will and the Twins are free to come help?"

"That would be wisest, why don't you also bring Cullen with you?"

"If it won't bother him?" Adela looked over at Cullen who shrugged. 

"I'm at least willing to see what goes on," He admitted as Adela looked back at her mother.

"That settles it, contact your friends and we will see you all tomorrow," her mother smiled as Adela's father walked in. 

"Oh good, you already asked," He said as he looked to his daughter before turning to his wife. "Ceana, love, did we have plans for dinner?" 

"No, But you know our daughter well," Ceana, Adela's mother, turned to Adela who smiled. 

"I always plan ahead," Adela smiled as she looked towards her father, "I think between Sam and me, I was the one who received the brains."

"I HEARD THAT!" Her brother called out as she snickered.

"GOOD!" She called back as Everyone in the room laughed. "HEY DUMBASS! GET YOUR SLOW ASS IN HERE!"

"DON'T WANT TO!"

Adela smiled then, "FOOD!"

"I heard food?" As if it had summoned the young man, he swiftly appeared in the room and everyone busted up. 

"And there you have it, mention food and he comes running," Adela teased as her brother frowned but he knew it was all in good fun. 


	3. Two

After Adela's parents and brother left, Adela went straight into her office and began to make a total of five phone calls. Cullen, for his part, was sitting on the couch and reading again while listening to her speak over the phone. Even though her accent wasn't as noticeable as it was with her brother and parents, It was still there and honestly the only reason he had noted it at all was because he had been so used to hearing it from his former second. While he listened to her speak he found himself pleased to hear it. Reading the book he had been the night before, he heard her sigh as the chair she sat on creaked before she stood up and came walking into the living room; Looking up he saw her smile briefly before she vanished into the kitchen to start on some tea. As he returned to the book, a small thought came knocking and he let it roll around in his mind for however briefly it would. He could get used to having this as a routine. _Just Adela and I in this little house, spending calm evenings together, one-day raising our-_ He stopped that thought right there as he wondered where in any world it had come from. He couldn't focus on that kind of thought as he needed to return to Thedas; But then what Adela's mother had said earlier came back to him as well. He had been sent here for a reason and part of that reason was Adela; deciding that now wasn't the time to think more on it, lest he unintentionally gave himself a headache, Cullen looked up as she walked back into the room and set down a mug for him, before she turned and walked back to her office where she was soon busy with something. Suddenly a calming musical sound began to play from the room she was in and he smiled as he remembered what all her mother had told her about this world and about Adela. 

_"She loves listening to music when she writes her stories as it helps her to bring them to life. It also helps her when she works on that painting she loves so dearly."_

_"It helps her?"_

_"Adela has always been artistically inclined, whether it be her stories, poems or paintings. But when she was younger she was viciously made fun of by the other children and would often come home and lock herself in her room for hours just listening to music. The worst part is, because of my own brother, Adela is... hurt."_

_"How so?"_

_"My brother did things to her that scarred her mind greatly. My Husband and I didn't know what was going on for the longest time until one of my Husband's mother's deerhounds attacked my brother. That was when the whole truth of what he had been doing to my daughter came out." The woman shook her head, "For what he's done, he will rot in a cell for the remainder of his days and if he does get out, then he will be on the run for the rest of his life as neither side wants him around anymore. Adela has forgiven us for not doing anything sooner as she realizes that it was her fault it had continued for so long but there are days where she struggles to let her brother or father or really any man come anywhere near her to just hug her."_

Suddenly a thought crossed his mind and he stood making sure to not spill the tea that he had yet to touch, and soon found himself standing at the door to her office to see that she was busy with the painting once more, "Adela?"

"Yes?" She asked as she carefully worked on the colors of a particular bird. 

"I've been meaning to ask you, how do you know about Thedas?"

Adela sighed, "I was wondering when you'd ask. Give me a minute to finish this up and I will show you." She told him as he studied the painting once more, this time to attempt to gain clarity on what it would look like when finished. He noted how beautiful the flowers were with their many colors, he saw birds in flight, he saw what looked to be like a pack wolves running along the open field on the edge of a lake, he saw what he could only assume to be all kinds of other animals, he noted the sun at its peak with clouds that looked like they were lazily passing by and also noted that there were several mountains that dotted along the horizon and smiled as he studied it. "Cullen?" Adela's voice sounded from beside him and he blushed as he went to rub the back of his neck nervously. 

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself from admiring the painting..." He told her as she smiled. 

"It's fine. But for now, I have your question to answer so if you would follow me please," She led him back out into the living room where she went towards the dark screened TV and crouched down to begin looking for something or rather for four to five things. Once she found what she was looking for, she had him sit and handed him two books which he quickly scanned through. "To the people of this world, Thedas is just a work of fiction. It's not real..." She then went on to tell him everything she knew and she lifted up each of the games to describe what happened in each, with Inquisition being the last. "You make an appearance in all three, and while I know for a fact that you and Thedas exist to everyone else out there, you are still just a fictional character in a made-up world. You don't exist to them and, until yesterday, I would have said the same about me not believing in either you or Thedas.  However, your appearance in this world does prove to me that at least one ancient theory is correct."

Cullen's head was reeling from this new information, but he looked to her in wonder. "What Theory is that?" 

"That there are multiple universes, also know to me as the Multiverse Theory. Honestly whoever came up with that theory deserves a fucking cookie because you being here is proof of that theory being correct, and I just made my own head hurt from that explanation, good job me..." She muttered that last part before standing from where she had been sitting and went to the bathroom to retrieve something for the sudden pounding sensation she felt coming from her head. After she had what she was looking for she walked back into the living room and into her office where she had left her tea (Feeling Cullen's worried gaze on her the whole time) and soon re-entered the living room as soon as the medicine she took was down her throat. She sighed as she sat back down.

"How...how much do you know about me?" he questioned quietly as she frowned. 

"Only what's stated in the books and in the games, but even then it's quite vague on the information given. I am aware that you have three siblings which I will call you lucky for."

"Why?"

"I have one sibling and you met him. He's an asshole."

"He seemed nice to me," Cullen frowned as she snorted.

"You just met him, give him some time and you'll be asking me how I stand him, of that, I promise." She smiled as he chuckled. 

"Well we will see, I do have three siblings, he can't be worse than them."

"Want to bet on that?" She challenged as he smirked. They made the bet and she smiled, before he asked her what the games were like, or well he wanted to know how well they had captured him and she frowned. "Are you sure you want the answer to that?" He saw the concern in her eyes and nodded, "Alright, some of it you may not like but I'm staying out here for this whole thing." Part of him wanted to argue, but he only nodded as she turned on the tv, explaining about the remote and how to change the channels before he noted that she seemed only only keep it on a channel that spoke of the history of her world, then she switched it over to the input for her Xbox One and set about putting in the first game of the DA series. As it started up, they spoke about what he remembered and based on his knowledge Adela was able to almost recreate the Solona Amell he remembered from the tower. Adela played it how she normally did going through the beginning with relative ease but when it got to the part where the one named Jowen used Blood Magic, Adela looked towards Cullen as he sat their with sorrow. 

“I was there...” he whispered with sorrow. “I watched Solona as she prepared to hand herself over...to accept whatever punishment the Knight-Commander would give her but Duncan... he saved her by using the Rite...” 

“Cullen,” Adela paused it, “we don’t have to continue this,” She told him as he looked at her to see the genuine concern for him in her eyes. 

“It’s fine...” he tried as she studied him for a moment longer. 

“If you’re sure...” 

“I am,” he told her as she continued on with the storyline. He told her what Solona was like how she was always so saintly and Adela smiled. 

“Let me guess, she had Leliana, Alistair and Wynne with her?” 

“Yes,” He nodded as Adela basically flew through the beginning and the moment it came to the joining Cullen’s jaw about dropped. “Warden recruits... _ **Drink**_...the blood of the darkspawn?!” 

“How else would they gain their abilites? That fact actually becomes greatly important later.” She continued on with the game and he watched with fascination as she continued to fly through it, doing all the side quests she could snag, then retrieved Sten who was in the cage after picking up Leliana in the tavern, then left the town behind to continue on the way to Redcliffe where Cullen continued watch, now with both horror and shock. 

“So he was there,” Cullen frowned, “I had always figured Jowen had been captured on the run.” 

“No, he was the reason the Arl was “ill”, he posioned the Arl which in turn set off the chain of events at Redcliffe Castle.” When Adela got to the part with Connor, Cullen hardly wanted to believe what he was witnessing. “The boy became an abomination. Allowed himself to become possessed...” Cullen shook his head, “yet Solona refused to let him remain that way but she wouldn’t kill him.” 

“And thus returned to the Circle,” Adela told him as she selected those options and selected the area for the start to the Circle’s chain of events. 

“Where I had already been tormented for months...” He felt Adela’s eyes on him and looked up towards her. But when his eyes met hers, he didn’t see sorrow for him there, no, he saw a silent understanding. But then they turned back to the tv where he saw a familiar face and had a laugh as he saw just how The Warden and her companions had gotten across to the circle. “So that’s how they got across!” He smiled and shook his head. He continued watching as Adela fought her way up the tower and silently remembered seeing all the corpses on the way back down. He watched her fight her way through the Fade and “Hmn’ed” to himself as she defeated the Sloth Demon, then she came to him and while he listened to himself rant and rave Adela was frowning. 

“This...” She started as he looked to her, “This was where and when everyone meets you for the first time,” He noted the tears in her eyes, “but everyone only started caring about you because of the Inquisition. Only a few actually cared about you before then.” He saw her pause the game for a moment as she sighed. “I was one of those few...” she admitted as he swore his heart melted at the sight of her damn near tears. “At first, I will admit I didnt care much for you because of the raving, but the more I though about it the more I came to realize that you’d been hurt in some way, if not physically then surely mentally and everytime I’d make a new warden I found myself wishing more and more that there was some way to help you so that way you wouldn’t have to deal with it alone for all those other years...” she allowed herself to trail away as he looked towards the screen. 

“I think...I think after this last fight it would be a good time to stop...” he said as she nodded and continued on until she was back at Redcliffe and saved the game, but she told him about the games’s “romance” options and he frowned. 

“Do I want to ask?” 

“Alistair in the first game, Fenris in the second and You in Inquisition.” 

“Wait what?” 

“Yeah...” she felt awkward as all hell now. “You’re a romancable character in Inquisition and when I found that out I was..excited to say in the least... because they had finally implemented a way for someone to help you through everything you were going through. Withdrawals, fears and nightmares alike.” She felt a blush start up on her cheeks as he looked towards the door, before he leaned forward to take her free hand in his (he didn’t miss the way she suddenly tensed up, but his touch was gentle) and watched her look at him in surprise as his eyes met hers. 

“You have a good heart, Adela.” 

“So I’ve been told...” she looked away feeling the blush burning on her cheeks now. 

“I’m glad I found my way to you,” he said as she watched him release her hand before he walked up the stairs and bid her goodnight before he entered his room, leaving her a red-cheeked mess whose heart had apparently stopped and had forgotten how to breathe altogether until her lungs screamed for oxygen. 

 _What the fuck just happened...?_ She questioned as she looked to her hand where she still felt his touch. Blinking, she shook herself out of her stupor, took the empty mugs to the kitchen to rinse them out and soon headed to her own room, after ensuring all lights were off and that the house was locked up tight, all while still being dazed and confused.


	4. Three

The next day found Cullen and Adela at the ranch in the house with Adela's mom who had just finished making breakfast for everyone who was coming over to help with cattle. Cullen sat talking with Ceana in the sunroom as they watched Adela interact with a gorgeous ebony colored stallion, who had come running the moment he had heard Adela call out for him; Cullen watched the stallion as the horse raised his head high into the air as he whinnied, before reaching out to nuzzle Adela's hand. "She loves that horse. Ever since we got him, those two have been inseparable when she is here."

"What do you mean?" Cullen asked as Ceana smiled warmly. 

"You see the way he follows her as she's walking towards the barn?" She questioned as Cullen watched the stallion walk beside Adela, "She's the only one he will respond to unless he's being fed."

"How come?" Cullen inquired as she looked towards him.

"We're not sure but it may have to do with how they both are. Aeamas, which is the stallion's name... he's always seemed to just know that Adela was meant to be his rider. We bought him from his previous owners because they just didn't want to handle him, to deal with the fact that no matter what they did he would always throw their son and every other rider."

"How did you find out about him?"

"Adela found him for sale. She took one look at his picture, turned to her father and the man couldn't help but say yes to her pleading." Ceana smiled, "I swear, ever since she was born, Adela has always had her father wrapped around her finger and that's nothing to say of how Rob's friends were." Ceana then went on to explain the breeding of the horse, which was the Friesian breeding and Cullen was amazed even as Ceana told him that Aeamas's lineage could be traced all the way back to when war horses were needed. "However the poor boy wasn't seen as "fit" to be registered as a purebred despite his lineage, but as you can see that really doesn't bother Adela." 

"It does seem like she wouldn't care if he was purebred or not," Cullen nodded as Ceana smiled.

"Why don't you head out to the stables and see if she can't pair you up with one of our unclaimed mares or geldings?"

Cullen nodded to that idea and stood to head out to the stables, where he found Adela saddling up Aeamas, "Adela?"

"Hm?" She looked up to see Cullen standing there watching her, "Let me guess my mom sent you out here to get paired up with one of the unclaimed horses?" At his nod, she smiled, "Alright let me finish this up and we will find you a horse," She told him as she quickly finished with saddling up Aeamas, "I'll be right back buddy," She told the proud beast as he snorted in understanding. With that, she motioned for Cullen to follow her and soon they came across the stalls with the "unclaimed" horses, "Lets see which one takes an interest in you," She remarked as they walked along the stalls, some of the mares and geldings completely ignored them but one gelding took notice and was immediately at his stall door and looking in their direction. "Hey Dune," Adela smiled as the horse snorted his greeting in return before turning his sight to Cullen. She nodded at Cullen who approached the horse carefully, though it wasn't needed as Dune was reaching his head out to try and touch his muzzle to Cullen's hands. "I think he likes you." She smiled as Cullen began petting the horse. "Dune is what we call a Bay horse because of his base coat color and its reddish hue." She pointed out as Cullen noted the deep red color that was mixed in with the brown of his coat, but Cullen could see the black mane, tail, and "stockings" the horse had and saw it as almost fitting for him. "He's one of our more tamer horses but still has a kick and bite to him when its called for." Adela watched Cullen and Dune interact and smiled, "Why don't we get him saddled up and go for a ride?" She asked as Cullen nodded to that idea and soon enough Dune was saddled and bridled up and together, with Adela on Aeamas, they went for a ride around the grounds of the ranch. When they returned to the house, Adela's friends as well as Samuel and his friends and her father and his friends had finally shown up and soon they were discussing the plan to separate the cows and yearling bulls as they ate. Once the food was gone, they went to the stables to prepare their horses and soon followed Adela as she led them to where the cattle were.

Cullen stayed back with Ceana as the others began to take up positions, he watched as Adela's father gave her what could be assumed to be the signal to begin the separation process and with a click of her tongue, Aeamas lowered his head, folded his ears back and charged forward with Samuel and his stallion following suit. For hours this would continue but as fate would have it, something was bound to go awry and it did. One of the yearling bulls was charging somewhere and Will hollered out in alarm causing everyone to turn and see the rampaging beast heading towards the area where the children of the family friends were with a few of the other women. Kicking Aeamas into a full-on gallop, Adela and her horse flew towards the beast as Ceana and Cullen, as well as Samuel and Will, came chasing after her. Cullen noted that Aeamas did not stop for anything and realized that he was living up to the standards of a war horse on Thedas. Once they caught up they saw Adela leap off the back of Aeamas who came to a sliding stop and was struggling to bring the young bull down to its knees. Just as Samuel leapt off his horse with Cullen and Will close behind a sudden and loud crack was heard as Adela found herself flying through the air as the bull threw her off of him. "ADELA!"

"ADELA!" more voices echoed after Cullen's voice rang out as Aeamas suddenly reared back and went batshit when the bull turned to charge at Adela who was now laying on the ground in pain. Aeamas soon stood between the bull and his mistress, rearing up and sometimes turning to kick at the bull in the attempt to force it away. Rob's voice sounded as he shot two to three tranquilizing darts into the young bull's flank. Cullen raced over to where Adela was laying and holding her side being careful of what he figured to be her broken ribs he carried her back to the house where she was then rushed off to the nearest hospital by her brother. 

What had started off as a good day had turned south real quick.


	5. Four

Cullen sat in the waiting room of the hospital with Adela's brother, parents, and her friends all of whom, like Cullen, were sitting down with uncertainty as they waited for any news on Adela's status. Cullen watched as Adela's father paced back and forth and lowered his head to his hands as he prayed for her to be okay. As soon as a door opened everyone looked up and Ceana jumped out of her seat, "Any news doctor?" She pleaded as the man looking to her. 

"She has two broken ribs, but we were able to break them back into place, however, we do need to keep her here for about a week to ensure that they start the healing process." Relief flooded through everyone at the news and the doctor spoke once more, "We have moved her to a room where someone can stay the night with her the entire time she is here but decided on that later, follow me if you want to see her." the doctor motioned for the family to follow him as her friends left to tell the others. Cullen followed after Adela's family to keep up with the charade that he was Adela's "fiance", but the moment he entered the room where she was he felt his heart stop. "She just woke up but the medicine we have given to her will have her in and out of consciousness for the next week," the doctor told them as Ceana was immediately to her youngest child's side with the others gathered around the bed. After the doctor left, Cullen volunteered to stay the night and the others agreed to it upon seeing how worried he was and promised to return in the morning; once they had left Cullen sat in the chair beside the bed and remained there watching her as she slept. He did not notice when he ended up dozing off, nor did he notice when she woke up and looked over to see him passed out and smile at him as she heard the tiniest snore escape him before passing back out. When he awoke though he looked over to see her still sleeping and reached out to gently brush the hair out of her face, leaning back he smiled softly before hearing Samuel walk up. 

"You care for my sister don't you?" He asked as he plopped down on the couch. 

"She's.." Cullen blushed as he rubbed the back of his neck. 

"Don't worry too much, I'm not judging you for it, if anything I'd encourage you two to get together."

"What?"

Samuel smiled, "It's not hard to see, Rutherford. You care for her, and she cares for you. My sister may have a big heart and care for everyone she meets, but she's taken a special liking to you," The man sat back, arm on the back of the couch and legs outstretched in a casual manner. "And that alone is damn near impossible." Cullen frowned at that but only looked back towards Adela with both wonder and worry.

****

The week would pass without incident and Adela was allowed to return home, where Cullen was instant he take care of her and with Ceana's help Cullen learned how to work the appliances and, for the next two months, he cared for her despite the fact that she saw no point in him caring for her. By the time her ribs were fully healed, Cullen was pretty well established within modern society, though several things still eluded him but he was fine with it. The worrisome part though was the fact that Adela had contacted one of her friends about "creating" an "identity" for Cullen as there was no information about him on Earth other then what was in the video games, and now sitting (or on Cullen's part, standing) in her Kitchen, Cullen watched with arms crossed as Adela's friend worked the government systems to the young man's advantage. "And done!" Bernard, one of the two twin men that Cullen had met the other day, looked over to Adela and Cullen, "here in a bit my assistant will be ensuring that the papers are printed off on the appropriate things, blah blah and bunch more of that legal bullshit I know you have no time for Adela." Bernard sat back as he shut down his laptop. 

"How much do I owe you?" Adela inquired as the man chuckled. 

"Nothing."

That had both Adela and Cullen looking towards the man with brows raised, "That's a first."

"Not really, Just so long as you don't pull the same stunt you did back at the ranch ever again, you don't have to worry about a fee from me, also my wife has been pestering the shit out of me to find out when your next book will come out." 

"It'll be out here in a week, I still have to go through all that legal bullshit before it's published, after all. Besides you know as well as I that I write a fuckton of pages just for a single chapter thus it takes my books longer to be published." 

"Very true," with that Bernard closed his laptop and looked towards her, "I'll let my wife know so that ways she can be one of the first to snatch up a copy of the book. It's the last book to your first series right?"

"Yep, but I'm not saying anything because Cullen is reading the series now," Bernard looked towards Cullen who nodded. After Bernard left, Adela and Cullen went to sit in the living room where, much to Cullen's surprise, Adela asked him if he wanted to continue the game they had started and, of course, he agreed. Once the game was finished it was near dinnertime and as Adela removed the game disc, Cullen sat thinking about everything he had just learned while Adela went to make dinner. After they had eaten, Adela started Dragon Age 2 and Cullen helped her with of Hawke's personality and as she played through, Cullen could only shake his head and laugh. 


	6. Five

A week later found Adela looking out the door as she watched it snow, and watching as Warrior (who had finally come home after having been with her parents for a while so he could get the start of the proper hunting dog training) zipped around the yard as he tried to eat the snowflakes as they lazily fell out of the sky to add to the blanket that was already present since it had started to snow overnight. "I'm guessing Warrior is having fun?" Cullen asked as he walked up behind Adela and looked outside to see what the dog was doing.

"Oh he's having a ball," She replied as the dog took a tumble causing both to laugh, "Dumb dog..." Adela shook her head as Warrior came trotting back up to the house and entered as she opened the doors for him, "Come on spazzass," She smiled as Warrior woofed and went to her chair, hopped up into it and plopped down with a sigh. "Hey asshole, that's my seat." A huff was given to her in response and Cullen watched this exchange with amusement. Adela yawned before walking over to the fireplace and began to throw wood (that Cullen had volunteered to chop for her) into it to try and start the fire. While part of her was thankful for the fireplace being an actual woodburning fireplace (she couldn't help it, she loved the smell of burning wood) the part she wasn't so thankful for was the fact that she had to start the fire by hand and was soon cursing under her breath until Cullen came over to her and took the items she held away. 

"Let me," He offered as she stood to allow him to light the fire, unlike the majority of people who used newspapers and other paper items to be used to help start the fires in their own fireplaces, Adela went really old school and used dried leaves her family had collected throughout the fall, splinters of dried wood, twigs, basically the things that nature provided. Even the items she used to light the fires could be considered "outdated" but she didn't care (she had matches and a lighter but those were to only be used in emergencies such as power outages). Once he got the fire started, he looked up at Adela who was not amused and smirked at her. 

"Fuck you," was all she said as she turned and walked into the kitchen to begin the preparations for what she was going to cook for dinner, but halfway through the preparations she was forced to set the knife she held aside and gripped the counter as she cried out in pain causing Cullen to come to her side immediately.

"Adela," he might as well have teleported with how fast he appeared at her side as the pain ripping through her side blinded her. "breath, please just breath, it will be over in a moment," he told her as he realized what had caused her to cry out. For the rest of the night and up until it was time for them to head to bed, Cullen remained at her side; but even as they lay in their beds in their separate rooms, neither could sleep due to their thoughts about the other person but regardless of their thoughts they both figured the other to be asleep and thus remained in the rooms and both entered into rather fitful sleep. 

****

Cullen awoke to the sound of arguing. Opening his eyes, he heard Adela's voice as she argued with what Cullen believed to be another man and, quickly dressing in his clothes for the daytime, he slipped on his boots and went down the stairs and exited out onto the porch to see that he had guessed right. Adela was arguing with a man, but his man seemed off to Cullen. "...You're young!" the man started as Cullen watched from the door, "You should be living in the city, partying and drinking and just all around "living the dream" of every young man and woman around your age! Not living on some old property secluded from the rest of the world. Sell this place to me! I will pay you a handsome amount for it."

"One: I may be young but unlike most of those young men and women "living the dream" I actually take my responsibilities to my family and the lands we own seriously. Two: My grandmother GAVE this land to me and just like her, I **_WILL NOT_** sell this land to you or any other person who wants to "buy" it just to leave their junk all over it. Now take your offer and shove it so far up your ass that it will never see the light of day again." The man looked ready to strangle Adela and Cullen swiftly made his way to her side as his need to protect overcame him. 

"Love, is everything alright? I heard arguing." Cullen spoke up as Adela looked to him at the same time the man did. 

"Cullen?" Adela asked at the same time the man demanded to know who Cullen was, earning her turning on him. "None of your damned business that's who," Her eyes were narrowed dangerously but then she turned back to Cullen. "I'm sorry did we wake you?" She asked softly as he smiled at her briefly.

"I was just waking up when I heard the commotion," Cullen told her as he looked to the man. "Whose this?" 

"A neighbor who was just leaving," Adela told him looking at the man who scowled fiercely back at her before he tried again.

"At least think on my offer-!" The man tried to tell her as she crossed her arms. 

"Shove it where the sun doesn't shine and leave," She told the man as he finally stormed off, got into his brand new and rather expensive car and left (with Adela watching in amusement as his car struggled through the snow). Sighing, Adela turned to Cullen and frowned. "I'm sorry if we woke you up," She apologized to Cullen as he looked at her. 

"You didn't wake me," He told her softly as they walked back inside the house where Warrior whined as he looked at his Mistress before falling back to sleep on his dog bed. 

"Still though," Adela walked into the kitchen as Cullen started the fire, and began to make breakfast. Once the fire was started, Cullen walked into the kitchen and watched as she cooked. After they had eaten, Adela went upstairs to dress in more proper winter clothing and walked back into the kitchen with a frown as she grabbed a list from the refrigerator and began writing the things down she needed to get from the store. Smiling as she saw Cullen prepared to go with her, she put up a baby gate at the entrance to the kitchen and at the doors to her office-slash-art room and at the start of the stairs. Warrior whined at her as if asking her why and she looked at him, "Still a puppy there Warrior," She told the lazy hound who had moved to her chair. "Besides I don't have a kennel crate for you." She kissed the dogs forehead as he huffed at her and she smirked. "Lazy beast," She told him as she watched Cullen rub the dog's head. After they made sure everything was locked up, they went out to her truck, a nineteen-ninety-four dodge ram that her brother had worked on and had given to her for her birthday a few years back, and, after backing out of her driveway, they headed off to the store and talked about her taste in instrumental music along the way. Once they arrived at the store, they talked and laughed as they gathered the items they had come for (and he teased her about being short which she smacked him for earning a hearty chuckle from him). Once that was done, they went to some other stores, but one of the stores they stopped at made him ask her what it was about and she smiled as she tried to explain what Cosplay was. Once they were inside a voice spoke up and Adela smiled as her only female friend came walking up to hug her. 

"Adela!" The two hugged each other, "It's so good to see you up and walking around again!" 

"It feels good to be walking around again, Kara," Adela smiled for a moment, "Where is your goofball of a husband."

"In the back at the forge. He's just tripping all over himself to show you the sword, and shield, that he made via your request."

"I bet," Adela smiled as Kara turned and looked at Cullen.

"It's good to see you again too, Cullen," Kara smiled at the man before turning back to Adela, "Before I forget, your outfit is complete."

"Oh?"

"Yep. Alec was bugging the shit out of me last week so I threw the plans for your armor at his head and told him if he didn't get out and start working on it I would kick his ass from here to hell and back." Adela laughed before Kara spoke again, "He's also worked on making something for you as well Cullen."

"Oh?" Cullen questioned as Kara nodded and called out to her husband who was now groaning at her. "Follow me if you please." As Cullen and Adela looked to each other, Adela could only shrug before they followed Kara to the back whereupon two separate armor stands were two different armors. 

"Holy shit!" Adela was amazed to see that Kara and Alec had made not only her requested white and blue version of the armor from the game of Skyrim called Daedric Armor (but unlike in the game and how many people would "femininize" it this version of it was more realistic and came without the "boob-plates"*), but they had also made Cullen's outfit from Dragon Age Inquisition game (complete with the other parts of the armor and the helm to go with it). Cullen, himself, was both amazed and struck silent as Kara looked at them. 

"I figured you'd both like them. Well, don't be shy! Try them on!" She pointed to the "changing" rooms where the armor stands were soon taken and after heading into separate rooms, Cullen was the first to emerge with his armor on. He felt much better wearing the armor and Kara was grinning now. "Now _that's_ how the Commander of the Inquisition's Armies should look." Then Adela came walking out, helm tucked under her left arm and was grinning. 

"Well, you and Alec have really outdone yourselves on these armors, Kara," Adela said as Cullen couldn't help but stare at her. In this version of the Daedric armor, she looked every bit like a strange yet amazing warrior goddess that he just couldn't tear his gaze away from. Looking over at him, Adela smiled and Cullen couldn't help but smile back, turning to Kara who was smirking Adela spoke once more, "Kara, I do have a question." 

"Don't worry about the question, you know we are always one step ahead of you, Adela," A masculine voice spoke up as three gazes turned to a man who was walking up with two shields and two swords. Both matching the armor sets for Adela and Cullen; Cullen's sword had a lion’s head on the crossguard with topaz eyes and the shield had two almost perfectly realistic lions roaring on either side of the Inquisition’s symbol. Adela’s sword and shield were perfect replicas of the Daedric sword and shield and matched her armor with being white and blue as well. All in all, by the time Adela and Cullen were changed back into their regular outfits and headed home, they couldn’t help but talk about really nothing in particular on the way there. 

But it was on the way there that Cullen thought on what Adela had called her place for both of them: _She called it home... I think I like that. Home._ He was smiling as they talked but as he looked towards her something in his heart made it turn to mush.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Come on people stop "feminizing" armors. It's not realistic. Women who would wear armor in the medieval times DID NOT have "boob-plates" on their armor. The armor that did have that was DECORATIVE and not used for battle. Plus there were so many layers worn between the actual armor and the person's body that boob-plates were just plain unnecessary (and in my personal opinion stupid af).


	7. Six

The next morning found Adela over by the wall continuing to paint when Cullen came in to find her and ask her something. Stopping at the entrance to the room he noted that she was now starting on the mountains in the background of the painting and he watched her work with a smile; he watched her carefully place each stroke of the brush. "When do you think you'll be done with it?" He asked as he leaned against the doorframe as she smiled at him. 

"Hopefully soon, if not then I'll finish it in early to late spring, if not by then I'll most likely finish it in early summer." She told him as he continued watching her, but she would prove herself right in saying that it would take her until early summer to finish the painting as throughout the remaining days of the winter and well into late spring, Adela would start spending more and more time with Cullen, even going so far as to spend entire days with him and Warrior in the park when spring finally did hit. And it would be a truly warm spring afternoon where they were walking around the park as her friends and family set up the picnic blankets that Cullen would nervously admit to how he was truthfully starting to feel about her. "What?" She asked while he blushed fiercely and rubbed the back of his neck. "Cullen? is that...Is that how you honestly feel?" She asked as she recognized the tell-tale sign of his nervousness.

"I..." He looked away from her for a moment before sighing, "Yes, it is," He admitted to her as she smiled up at him. 

"Cullen, look at me," She told him softly and doing as she asked he saw the tender smiled she had for him. "I feel the same way about you."

"You do?" He asked feeling a bit breathless as she nodded in response. He wasn't exactly sure of what he said next, but he was very well aware of the fact that they were now kissing and the moment they pulled away, her brother cleared his throat and both Cullen and Adela jumped at the sound.

"It's about damn time you two got together," Samuel smiled as Adela looked towards him with a frown. "Anyways, Mom and Dad sent me to find you both." He told them as he smirked. As they headed back, Adela wrapped her fingers through Cullen's and the man smiled as he clasped her hand firmly in his as they walked back towards her family. 

****

Spring would pass and soon Summer befell the land, and while it didn't get as hot where Adela and Cullen were living as it would most other places, it still became humid. But one night as Adela sat on the back porch, Cullen came walking out to find her and she began speaking. "You know, you've been here almost a year now."

"Have I?" He asked sitting down next to her as she nodded. 

"Come this fall, you will have been here an entire year. But..." Adela looked away from him.

"But what?"

"My mom has figured out a way to send you back to Thedas."

"Oh," He saw now why she had been acting a bit off. 

"However, she can't send you back until fall comes, as the thing she'll be using to send you back won't be open until then." 

He didn't need her to say it, he could feel it and frowned as he reached out and touched her cheek, drawing her attention back to him as he spoke, "I have to go back," It wasn't a question, it was a statement but still she nodded.

"Yes, you do," She told him softly as he frowned. "From everything you've told me, the Inquisition has yet to start and you will be needed."

"Adela..." he whispered before standing and kneeling before her, "Even when I do go back, There is only one person I will ever love and that will be you."

"Don't make a girl a promise you won't be able to keep," She told him meeting his eyes. 

"It's not a promise," He told her softly, "It's my oath." He leaned forward and kissed her, which she happily returned. "Until I do leave, let's spend what little time we do have left with each other." As he said that she agreed and spend time together they did. At least until the day he was to leave arrived. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twoish chapters left in this story (this is Part 1).


	8. Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter for a reason.

Cullen looked towards Ceana who was frowning, "I'm not allowed to say goodbye to Adela, am I?"

"No," the woman shook her head. "You did what you came here to do, Cullen. You fulfilled the reason you where brought here and now, you must go back to your own world. It will be easier on both of you if you leave without saying goodbye." Ceana told him as he looked away from her towards the direction they had come from where he knew Adela was. The minute they had arrived at her Parents house, Adela had been stolen away by her brother and Ceana had lead Cullen towards the forest where they had soon arrived at the place where he would be enabled to return to Thedas, however, he was discovering that he was reluctant to leave but knew he had to. "I'm sorry it has to be this way Cullen," Ceana told him as he closed his eyes with heart-wrenching sorrow. 

"Tell her..." He started as he fought back tears, "Tell her I love her and that...I'm sorry" he said as Ceana nodded. 

"Of course." She watched him turn and begin walking away. "Goodbye Cullen Rutherford, and thank you for helping my daughter find herself." With those last words following after him, Cullen walked between the two trees Ceana had indicated would take him home and soon found himself awakening back on Thedas. Looking around his tent, he saw everything he had before "going" to Adela's world and he began to wonder if it had been nothing more then just some wild dream. But as he made to stand up and put on his new outfit, something falling off his bed caused him to look down where he saw the item that Adela had given to him now laying on the ground. 

 _"Something to prove you actually came here,"_ He remembered her words as he reached down and picked it up. Looking at the little stone carving of a topaz lion, Cullen closed his eyes and felt his heart breaking. After dressing for the day, Cullen made sure to place the stone lion in his breast pocket on his shirt to where he could keep it close to his heart and set about to do the things he needed to do this day. While the weeks would pass, Cullen would work on training the troops since the Inquisition had finally come around and the one they all called the Herald of Andraste, a young woman known only to Cullen as Lady Trevelyan (who had taken a special interest in Cullen though he did not return her feelings as he still very much loved Adela), had been found. Looking towards the night sky on his way back to the training grounds after having calibrated the trebuchets for the umpteenth time in this particular week, Cullen felt a strange sort of loneliness overcome him and briefly touched the spot where the lion rested near his heart. That night, when he finally went to bed, he found himself having a strange sort of dream and felt his heart stop when he saw Adela walking around the house that had been theirs for that year he had been there and heard her calling out for her dog. 

****

"Warrior!" Adela frowned as she walked from room to room, looking for the deerhound who didn't seem to be anywhere downstairs. Sighing, Adela looked towards the stairs, made the trek up them and noted the door to the room Cullen had been staying in was open a smidge. "Warrior?" She asked as she opened it to walk in and saw the hound laying on the bed that she still hadn't changed to the sheets or comforter of. She saw the dog open his eyes and he whined at her as she walked over and sat down next to him to rub behind his ears. "I know buddy, I miss him too, but he had to go back to his world." Another whine was the response she was given as she leaned down to kiss Warrior's nose and forehead. "If there was a way for us to see him again, I would take it in a heartbeat," She told him as the beast sighed. Standing she told Warrior to take whatever time he needed and went back downstairs only to stop and look at her tv.  _I haven't turned it on since the day we finished Dragon Age two... Yet I don't have the heart to work on Inquisition._ She thought to herself as she then walked into her office and looked at her painting. Shaking her head, she turned and called to Warrior as she prepared herself for a walk. After the dog had come to the door while she made sure everything but the porch light was off, she locked the house up and soon she and Warrior found themselves walking along a path that she and Cullen had walked several times. As she walked she thought on the promise, no the oath, he had given to her and felt a tear slide down her cheek (a tear Cullen wanted so badly to wipe away but couldn't) as she came to a stop at the riverside and looked out over the distant mountains. Sitting down on the rocky ground beneath her, Adela felt Warrior nuzzle her hand and as he sat down beside her, they watched the setting sun dip below the horizon. After a bit, Adela carefully stood and together she and Warrior headed back home where she found herself curling up on the bed Cullen had used and fell asleep with his scent surrounding her as she cried herself to sleep.

****

When Cullen awoke, he wondered why he had dreamed of Adela but as he remembered how heartbroken she and Warrior had looked, he began to wonder if there wasn't some way for them to come to him.  _I love you, Adela...I miss you..._


	9. Epilogue

 "RUN ADELA!" Ceana's voice called out to her daughter who was riding upon Aeamas's back with Warrior’s long legs enabling him to keep up with the stallion. "GET TO THE GATEWAY! I WILL CLOSE IT FROM THIS SIDE ONCE YOUR THROUGH!" Her mother screamed as Aeamas galloped over the snow-laden ground kicking up the snow that had once been resting. Not a week into the winter months had passed before all hell broke loose around the world. Charging into the forest at a break-your-neck pace, Aeamas continued to fly over the ground even as he rushed headlong towards the area where Cullen had vanished into only a few months prior. Closing her eyes, Adela prayed to whatever gods would listen to send her to a place where she, Aeamas and Warrior could hopefully live in relative peace. What she didn’t realize was that the moment she opened her eyes, after they crossed the threshold between worlds, she was now in Thedas. Pulling back on the reins, Aeamas came to a sliding stop as she turned him towards the “portal” and said a few words that slammed the gateway shut. The moment she did that,however, she suddenly felt a strange sensation over come her and began to feel dizzy. Groaning, she barely managed to get out of the saddle, before she suddenly collapsed onto the ground, the sound of her in her armor crashing down heavily being muffled by the snow, which caused Aeamas to go batshit while Warrior howled with worry and fear, but the scent that came to the massive dog had him leaving Aeamas and Adela in that place as his legs carried him in the direction he knew the scent was coming from. 

****

Cullen was busy with the trebuchets (once more) when he felt an odd sensation over come him, causing him to pause in his tracks as he moved from one trebuchet to another. Standing there for a few moments he tried to figure out what the cause of the sensation was but only succeeded in wrinkling his face into a scowl before shaking his head. Just before he arrived at the Trebuchet he was going to look over and calibrate a familiar howl ripped through the air and once more caused him to pause in his tracks. _Warrior?_ He questioned as he listened but when it did not sound again he shrugged and continued doing what he needed to, until a large greyish streak came tearing through the snow and barreled in his direction.  Looking at the streak, he felt his thoughts and heart stop as he recognized who that large grey form was, “Warrior?!” Cullen knelt down as the dog came to a sliding, and panting, stop. “Warrior, if your here... Where is-?!” Suddenly it hit him, Warrior was trained to never leave Adela’s side unless it was an emergency. “Take me to her!” He commanded the loyal beast as he shouted for his second and two others to follow him. Following Warrior like his life depended on it, Cullen raced after the hound and only stopped when he saw the sight that lay before him. “ADELA!”


End file.
